The newborn twins of Ying Ying and Le Le, a pair of giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong by the central government in 2007. Photo: CCTV

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday announced the birth of panda twins early Thursday morning in Hong Kong, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The pair, a female and a male, are cubs of Ying Ying and Le Le, pandas given as a gift by the central government to Hong Kong in 2007.

Ying Ying and Le Le successfully completed natural mating in Ocean Park in March. After five months of gestation, the female giant panda Ying Ying finally gave birth to the twins.

A team of animal care professionals, together with experts from the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda, are working around the clock to take care of Ying Ying and the newborn twins until their condition fully stabilizes, according to the Information Services Department of the HKSAR government, as reported by Xinhua.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee thanked the central government for gifting the pandas, which he said fully demonstrates its care and support for the HKSAR.

He said that this year is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the birth of the first pair of giant panda cubs in Hong Kong is of special significance.

According to the Ocean Park, this birth is a true rarity, especially considering Ying Ying is the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth for the first time. 

The Park also said on its social media platform that the public will have to wait a few months before they can officially meet the cubs.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of HKSAR, Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, attended a ceremony on Friday in Southwest China's Sichuan Province for the signing of a cooperation agreement between the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda and the Hong Kong Ocean Park.

The agreement aims to better implement the central government's gift of a pair of giant pandas to the HKSAR in 2024, according to China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda.

Global Times